Tiberian Eclipse
by Z98
Summary: Third story of my Tiberian series. Joint story actually. A disaster is going to take place that will change everything.
1. Chapter 1

Tiberian Eclipse  
  
  
  
  
  
Chapter One: Rest Doesn't Last  
  
General Richard Conner looked out the window of his home in Moscow. It had been nearly a year since the signing of the peace treaty, yet he still was worn down. He had finally found an opportunity to take a short vacation, which was extremely difficult since he was the leader of Nod, and was now enjoying some quiet time at home with his wife Carol and there daughter Rebecca. Even though he was tired, he always found time for his family. Even when two months ago, on his thirtieth birthday, when his presence was required at the command post, he still took time to go home and attended to his cake and family. There was not a soul who could call him a bad father. He had spent as much time as possible with his daughter, and even when he should have been at the command post, stayed at home to baby-sit. His officers were all loyal and they could handle things without him. Or they should be able to. It would come, he knew it. Just three months away. The awful memory that was burned into his brain and showed in a scar on his chest. The day an air raid destroyed his home, and killed his family. And as he thought, he also realized that by some odd coincidence, the day his family was killed, was the 15th anniversary, of the day when the meteor carrying Tiberium crashed.  
  
He decided that he was just tired, and put the thoughts behind him, for now. Just then Carol walked in.  
  
"Well, the grumpy old husband comes home from work and doesn't even bother saying 'I'm home' or even bother giving his wife a kiss."  
  
A smile appeared on his face and she came over and hugged him, then he kissed her and then Carol stepped back.  
  
"So, what's going on in the world today?" she asked with interest  
  
"Well, there's finally talk of the last of the world's countries joining together to form a new power."  
  
"Well, at least that's something."  
  
"Perhaps, and maybe it isn't such a good idea. I'm hoping that it doesn't start a legislative conflict," he said depressingly  
  
"Well, let's not worry about it now," said Carol, trying to soothe him.  
  
Just then Rebecca began crying from her crib.  
  
"The duty of a mother never ends," she said with a sigh  
  
They both walked into the room where she was sleeping. Carol picked her up and cradled her for a while. Rebecca calmed down finally and went back to sleep. Then she put her back into the crib.  
  
"Well, that's done," she said, relieved, "She's calmed down and is sleeping more."  
  
Conner walked back to the living room and collapsed onto the sofa. It had just begun to rain, and it was late in the evening. Carol walked in and stood there for a second.  
  
"Well, it's dark, nothing else to do, baby's sleeping," she said with a grin  
  
"You know, sometimes I think I'm getting to old for this," Richard replied, but smiled anyways.  
  
There was a moment of silence while they just stared at each other.  
  
"Alright, alright," he said.  
  
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Colonel Azeem Holem looked over some space charts that were giving him and his men a surge of excitement.  
  
"How can this be possible? And we didn't even know it till now?" he asked one of his aides  
  
"It would appear sir, that because of the war, sky watch programs were given a very low priority over the last several decades, that we weren't aware of this."  
  
"English please," he said frustrated  
  
"Which means, what we have here is an asteroid that is going to pass us in three months," the aide replied, "It's going to be a close one."  
  
"So this asteroid is like the asteroid that brought Tiberium to Earth?" asked Azeem.  
  
"Yes," said an aide, "But I don't think we have to worry about anything like that."  
  
"What's the ETA on the exact moment?" the Colonel asked  
  
The aide looked through some papers. Then he looked up.  
  
"About three months sir. October 9th, at noon...........on the dot," he said with great certainty.  
  
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General McNeil walked down the corridor of the advanced complex of the space station Philadelphia II. He passed through the laser scanners, then did an ID check. Last, he went onto a pad, and it verified his DNA. Then, the six-foot Chronom Steel door, made using a material in Tiberium, opened and he walked in.  
  
The place was idol for the most part, except for one section, which was buzzing like a hive.  
  
"What's the situation?" he asked  
  
Captain Charles du Gaulle answered him.  
  
"Well sir, it would appear that the countries of Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Japan, Korea, and several South-Western Pacific islands, have formed a new faction."  
  
"Oh great, another fanatic leader by any chance?"  
  
"No sir, it appears that the elected Chairmen, is your old friend"  
  
"Excuse me?" he asked surprised  
  
"Umaagon has been named the Chairwoman of the Pacific Alliance Protectorate," the Captain said  
  
"Well, I'll be a son of a bitch!" said McNeil.  
  
"That's not all sir, we have this situation as well."  
  
Mac looked over the documents for a few minutes, then said, "Contact Dr. Boudreau, tell her I authorize the proposal."  
  
The Captain took the documents, and headed over to the com station  
  
"Lord knows what good be in that file," he muttered to himself.  
  
  
  
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The next morning, Carol was up reading the paper International News Network and was eating some cold cereal.  
  
Then the communications unit rang.  
  
"Who would be using the calling at a time like this?" she asked herself  
  
She walked over and pushed the button. A screen came up and Dr. Boudreau's face appeared.  
  
"Dr. Boudreau, it's been a long time," Carol said, with a bit of surprise  
  
"It has Carol, I know. But this isn't a social call. I called because there's something that I need you for. It has to do with the Tacitus."  
  
"But I thought it was destroyed," Carol replied.  
  
"No it wasn't. Look, I really need your help in this. General McNeil has authorized this, and you're being offered a temporary position as Assistant Director of the GDI Tiberium Technology Labs."  
  
Carol thought for a moment, then said, "Well, I'll have to clear it with someone first, but I'd love working under you again."  
  
"Great, I'll have a transport ready to pick you up tomorrow."  
  
"What, wait!?" she began, but the transmission ended.  
  
She just sat there for a few minutes, not knowing what she was going to tell Richard  
  
"Well, are you going or not?" said Richard.  
  
She spun around to see him standing there with a smile on his face  
  
"You mean it?" she asked  
  
"If you really want to go, I'm not going to stop you."  
  
She hugged him, and they just stood there for a few seconds.  
  
"Well, I'll help you pack."  
  
"Oh wait! What about Rebecca?"  
  
"Well, I guess she'll have to go with you."  
  
"You won't be to lonely?" she asked  
  
"Carol, I somehow lived for 29 years without you, I think I can survive another few months."  
  
End of Chapter 1. This is a joint story written with Book-Master, even though I had to do a lot of editing for grammar and spelling. Also, WYSIWYG is also involved, but I'm not completely sure how. This is the third installment of my Tiberian Series. Tiberian Eve and Tiberian Moonrise are the other two. Well, see all of you later! R+R and send any other comments you have for Book-Master to him, not me.  
  
Z98 


	2. Chapter 2

Tiberian Eclipse  
  
Ch2: Good-byes and hellos  
  
Carol looked over her set of suitcases carefully. In one were her clothes and some documenting equipment, in the other, the baby's cloths and some toys. She finished stuffing them and closed and buckled them shut. Her transport left at 0930, it was 0835, and she needed to get going in the next few minutes. She sat down for a minute to rest, then went out into the kitchen to see Richard looking over the last of his news paper and drinking the last of his stimulant drink. He folded his paper and got up.  
  
"I have to get to the office now," he said.  
  
They embraced, then he pulled away.  
  
"Have a good trip, bye."  
  
"Bye" she replied, then he went out the door, and was gone.  
  
Carol sighed, then went back and brought the suitcases out and lined them up on the floor.  
  
"Well, might as well wake her up now," she said, then went to get the baby  
  
  
  
The Philadelphia II, 0900 hours SUT  
  
General Michael McNeil walked briskly down too his office. He opened his door, and went over to his desk.  
  
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door of his office.  
  
"Come in," he said  
  
A wiry lieutenant in his early twenties walked in with some files under his arm.  
  
"Sir, the new combat vehicle plans are in."  
  
"Very good lieutenant, you may leave," McNeil replied  
  
The lieutenant laid the data files on the desk and walked out. McNeil picked up the files and looked them over. The new plans for the tanks consisted of much hard work in developing new types of weaponry. The new designs were the three newest additions to GDI's ground arsenal.  
  
The new designs were of the P-90 Leviathan Frigate, the M1-A7 Gladiator Tank, and the Behemoth Mk1 Heavy Support Tank. All three designs were going to be used immediately to change production from obsolete weaponry. The GDI had recently scraped the production of Wolverines, and had cut down Titan production to 10% of its original in favor of the Tactical Class. GDI had yet to abandon conventional infantry warfare as they saw them as a valuable asset especially with the growing NBC protection that even kept out Tiberium poisoning.  
  
He took a look at the specifications. The Leviathan Frigate was the new class of space-borne warships. It was half the size of the Kodiak II, but just as heavily armed and armored. Equipped with five railgun cannons as well as six particle cannons, it was a very powerful weapon. The Gladiator Tank, a tank with as much armored protection a Titan had, was the new class of hover units. With twin cannons, it packed twice the punch the Titans had, about as much as the old Mammoth Mark Is. The final new vehicle was the Behemoth Tank. With twice as much armor as the Mammoth Mark Is, it provided a lot of protection for the four soldiers on board. This tank was equipped with dual particle cannons and was perhaps the most powerful GDI unit ever built, even more powerful than the Mammoth Mark II. That design had been scrapped ever since the skirmish with Cabal and the Scrin about two years ago.  
  
McNeil put the data files away and then took a nap.  
  
Sydney, Australia, Office of the PAP Chairmen, 0900 Zulu  
  
  
  
Umagon, having recently acquired her new position as Chairmen, sat in her office in the PAP government building. She was going over some of her own new production plans, these ones consisting of air units. The PAP currently was reorganizing its economic systems, and the construction of war machines was something that they could not afford right now. Construction of transports and air freighters was far more profitable.  
  
"These are sufficient, begin production immediately. For some reason, I feel they will come in handy later."  
  
"Yes madam Chairmen," the aide said and walked out with his new orders.  
  
Umagon drank down the last of her tea, then began remembering past and present things. So far, the majority of the Forgotten had been cured, yet they still felt that they were still separate from others, and remained united under one faction. The world contained five factions at this time; GDI, Nod, the Forgotten, PAP, and the EGE (Elite Guards of Earth).  
  
Along there were smaller neutral ones. The largest neutral country was India, which had broken off from GDI, after realizing what joining them meant sucking the few resources out of the country.  
  
She sat back, and picked up her phone.  
  
"Get me General Hojo," she said to the operator  
  
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Moscow, Russia, Brotherhood of Nod CHQ, 0925 Zulu  
  
  
  
Conner looked out on the main radar screen of the world.  
  
Various Tiberium shipments were going here and there all around.  
  
Sergeant Amerigo Venteanian, ran up to him.  
  
"Sir, we have GDI Transport A897-21H, requesting an entry to pick up a passenger."  
  
He waited a minute before answering.  
  
" Clearance granted," he said  
  
"Yes sir." Venteanian then walked back down the stairs to the COM console.  
  
"GDI Transport A897-21H, you are cleared for landing at Moscow military airport on Airpad 42-A."  
  
Conner looked to see the transport enter Nod airspace towards Moscow.  
  
"Sir, Prof. Jonathan Marce, is requesting you down in R&D Sub-level 110," a sergeant said to him.  
  
"Thank you sergeant, that will be all," Conner replied.  
  
Conner stood there a minute before walking over to the elevator. The 50 underground levels were spanned by three elevators, each covering forty floors, and along with the fifty story upper building. He walked into the elevator car and the doors closed. He typed in a clearance number, slid a key-card threw the slot. Then, after the protective shield had lifted off the security floor buttons, he punched the -60 button, and off he went.  
  
  
  
GDI Base, Location: New York, 0935 Zulu  
  
On the airpad, Carol stood with a suitcase on either side, and the baby in a carrier crib. She looked up to see the GDI Transport roaring down too the pad. It touched down, and then after a few seconds the ramp came down and two GDI marines came out.  
  
"Are you Dr. Carol Conner?" one of them asked.  
  
"Yes," she replied.  
  
"Please come on board ma'am." They each took a suitcase and walked her up the ramp. They then escorted her to a seating room and left.  
  
She felt the turbulence as they lifted off, and started on their trek east. The following two hour flight was as comfortable as possible. She received drinks when she asked, and even managed to keep the baby happy during the course of the flight. Finally, she felt the aircraft whining and slowing down.  
  
The two marines appeared again, they took up her suitcases and led her back to the ramp which already being down. She walked down and saw Dr. Boudreau.  
  
"Carol, it's good to see you, it's been a long time," she greeted, and leaned down and looked at Rebecca, "and what an adorable baby."  
  
"Thanks. So what's the situation?"  
  
Boudreau chuckled. "Always down to business huh? Let's get you into your quarters first."  
  
They walked across the bridge toward the terminal. Carol looked out to the west and was amazed at the display. Phoenix Base was the largest Tiberium harvesting operation belonging to GDI. What she saw was the 10-sq. mi. dome that covered the concrete enforced wall of the Tiberium field. There were more then twenty harvesters that she could see, having unloaded they're cargo and heading back to the gate. The wall was ten feet thick, with a double gate and a magnetic field to ensure no Tiberium spores got out. The first gate would lower, allow the harvester or harvesters into the clean section. Then, the first gate would close, and the second gate would drop and allow them in. On the way out and in, the harvesters and the clean section were sterilized with a new antibacterial/antibiotic vapor. She looked back to where she was, and finally got to the terminal.  
  
  
  
Moscow Complex  
  
Richard walked down the hallway. There were three Stealth Soldiers waiting at the end. He stepped onto the round platform, and several scanners lifted and did a bio-scan. After they were finished, the door opened. He walked into a large chamber with several dozen other guards. At the center of the room was a circular tube six feet in diameter. He placed both hands on two panels and a laser scanned his handprint. After that, retina scanners checked both of his eyes. Finally, he entered a password and opened the vault. Inside was a green orb that was glowing softly. That could only mean one thing.  
  
  
  
Philadelphia II, 1000 Zulu  
  
McNeil was still dreaming sweet thoughts when all at once the Blue Alert button started blinking. Since there was no sound but the blinking, he didn't notice it. Then, it increased . The Green Alert button came on, and it made a small chirp. He woke up and looked at it.  
  
"What the heck is going on up there?" he said over the COM.  
  
General Langley's face appeared on the screen.  
  
"Sir, it appears that we lost contact with Orion," Langley said.  
  
"Orion? What the heck are you talking about?" Mac said, a bit out of it  
  
"Well, Orion was reporting strange readings on the LRSS(Long Range Space Scanners) positioned on Mars, when they just cut off. No further communications were received."  
  
"It might just be some technical failures, but keep trying, and get Cortez up," McNeil ordered.  
  
"Will do." Langley said, then signed off.  
  
Cortez's face then appeared.  
  
"I heard what happened, so what do you think it is?" Cortez asked.  
  
"I don't know, but I think it might have been a technical failure. But just incase, set the moon LRSS to search for Chronom alloy spacecraft."  
  
"You don't think the Scrin will come back do you?" Cortez asked.  
  
"I don't believe in coincidences any more than you General." Mac replied.  
  
"Yes sir, Cortez out." His face disappeared, and McNeil sat back and sighed.  
  
"God help us if they come again," he said in a low murmur.  
  
End of Chapter 2  
  
My internet modem crashed, and that also is part of why we took so long in getting this chapter up. Also, I didn't have enough time to edit it properly since I have to use the school's computer for that, so until my dad agrees on getting a new computer with GeForce 4 Titanium, I'm restricted to using the school's internet connection. But then, hey, what can a guy like me do?  
  
Z98 


End file.
